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Wow, what a night! The 2nd Annual CHA Foundation Gala & Silent Auction, sponsored by Michaels, lived up to its billing of dinner, dancing and inspiration. The themes of the evening were celebrating the industry and giving back, and we accomplished both in a BIG way this year!

Everyone was greeted by a glass of champagne and walked down the “blue carpet” as they entered a “Hollywood awards ceremony” just for our industry!

The first hour was spent at the cocktail reception and silent auction, the proceeds of which benefitted CRE8TIME and The Kids in Need Foundation.

We had two amazing hosts in Rich Kizer & Georganne Bender of KIZER & BENDER – who should be, if they aren’t already, auditioning for the hosting gig at the Golden Globes next year!

The program kicked-off with the celebration of the CHA 2015 Industry Award Winners.

The CHA 2015 Industry Award Winners went to:

Meritorious Award: Herb Lantinga, Notions Marketing

Industry Achievement Award: LaDorna & Robert Eichenberg, Ellison

Special Recognition Award: Joann Pearson, Michaels

For more about the winners and the Industry Awards, read the press release here.

The program continued with the Exhibiting with Excellence awards, which went to those exhibitors who were judged on overall visual booth appeal; clarity of product being sold; access to make-n-takes; engaging booth flow; as well as enthusiasm and friendliness of Booth staff.

The winners of the CHA 2015 MEGA ShowExhibiting with Excellence Awards were:

Island & Peninsula Group – Spinrite

Linear Booth - ClearBags

New Exhibitor – Little B

Critic’s Choice – Spellbinders PaperArts

CHA’s President & CEO, Andrej Suskavcevic, provided an update on the CHA Foundation’s goals for the future, including partnering with other like-minded organizations to continue to drive the momentum of raising awareness for the need to devote more time for creative expression. In addition to the CRE8TIME movement, proceeds from the silent auction and raffle went to support the Kids in Need Foundation (KINF).

Every year for the past 12 years, CHA has partnered with KINF to harvest product from exhibitors of CHA Trade Shows, which has resulted in the collection and distribution of $1,591,019.75 worth of donated supplies to teachers and their students at the neediest of schools. The funds from the Gala that will be donated to KINF will be used to fund two grants that will help build art programs at a school in the CHA office’s home state of NJ. Dave Smith, the Executive Director, accepted the check on-behalf of KINF.

After dinner, it was time to award the 2015 Hot Products! 112 products were submitted this year – a record number! A celebrity and media judging panel selected the award winners based on what makes the product unique; how it will improve the crafter’s overall experience; and the interest it generates in crafting for non-crafters.

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Eli Draws are a family and a team supporting their young son Eli’s passion for being creative and transforming it into a brand where other parents and kids can participate in the exploration, learning and collaboration.

Eli Draws has partnered with CRE8TIME to help spread the word about the importance of creativity and engaging the younger generation to take time out to do the things they love.

In this blog post, Eli’s mother, Amanda, discusses the impact of creativity in our early lives – when creating was a priority, and gives ideas on how to engage and encourage children to #CRE8TIME for creativity.

Encouraging Kids to CRE8TIME

By Amanda Whitford Grundy
Eli Draws Education

This summer, we had the pleasure of having our 11 year old nephew and 6 year old niece from North Carolina stay with our family in New York City. We had lots of fun all over the city: exploring Governor’s Island, taking trips to the Bronx Zoo, going to the beach and having numerous playground adventures.

Although we had some great trips, one of my favorite moments was when we were at home one morning. The four kids (my nephew and niece along with my 6 year old and my 15 month old) were getting a little stir crazy in our New York apartment. I knew we had a birthday party to go to that night for a friend of mine, another mom who the kids all knew and loved from our summer zoo trips. I suggested the kids make her birthday cards and they jumped at the idea.

I got out stencils, crayons, markers, construction paper and the kids went to work. They were so thrilled to be making birthday cards for a friend and they put their heart, soul, and imaginations into their homemade card creations. Watching the kids made me remember my own childhood and how important making a birthday card for a friend can be. I posted on Facebook that I wished I could return to that time when creating something homemade for someone was my first priority.

When we think about encouraging our younger generation to be creative, we have to acknowledge that kids already possess the impulse to create, they just need adults to help with a few things.

1. An idea: Help kids to focus their imagination with an activity.
Some examples:Make a birthday cardPut on a playMake sock puppets

2. Time and space to be creative

Just like adults, kids have to carve out time for creativity from all the activities that vie for their attention, even if that activity might be annoying their little sister. Kids also need to know where it’s ok to work on their creative projects and where their projects can be kept safely and valued by others.

3. Tools to help their imagination come to life
Some examples:
Construction paper
Crayons, markers, colored pencils, pens
Simple costumes and props

4. Permission to make a mess and make a mistake:
Create a space where it’s ok for kids to get messy. We live in a New York City apartment, aka, a small space. We use inexpensive, plastic table cloths leftover from birthday parties to cover the dining table so the kids can use markers and glue worry free. And when kids make a mistake, an invaluable part of the creative process is teaching them how to turn that mistake into part of their project or that it’s ok to start over and try again.

Creating time to do things we love, and encourage our creativity. is not always the easiest thing to do even though it brings us joy. The same is true for the younger generation. It is much easier for them to sit in front of an electronic device and play a video game or watch a movie. There is a time and a place for that, but teaching kids how to CRE8TIME for projects like making a friend a birthday card not only brings joy to the creator, but also brings joy to others.

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Hearing of the passing of Robin Williams brings profound sadness. The world lost one of the greats. An individual who delighted the masses and brought so much joy to peoples lives only to have lost his own to a terrible mental illness. There is much work to be done in the battle for mental wellness and I am proud to be part of an industry that is playing a role in that battle. Art and other forms of creative expression are important tools in helping achieve mental wellness and we are seeing more and more facilities and hospitals incorporating art therapy in their programs.

Our own research at CHA indicates that crafting has helped people relax and feel a sense of accomplishment. Crafting is just one tool in the battle for mental wellness but more needs to be done.

Many today will be looking up Robin Williams on YouTube and watching his movies. I for one tip my hat for his role in Dead Poets Society and share with you a Walt Whitman classic. For you Robin, O Captain! My Captain!

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Well, it’s been a whirlwind ride these last 3 days at the CHA 2014 Paper Arts Show in Atlanta. I arrived Tuesday and was thrown quickly into the chaotic fun of CHA Workshops. They were fast paced and informative, with terrific teachers and sponsors that I was thrilled to meet. The sponsors gave some really great products to the participants to take home, and get more comfortable with so they could use them as teaching tools in their stores. I was really floored by their generosity. Thank you CHA for allowing me to participate in these super intense and informative workshops. I learned so much!

I have to say, after sitting in on the Seminars and group discussions, I have a whole new respect for the challenges that independent stores face. At the same time, these wonderful store owners continue to seek out new ways to grow and change with the times; looking for ways to incorporate growing trends, sharing obstacles but also rejoicing in the shared triumphs.

There were so many who supported me here at CHA, I couldn’t possibly name them all – but a few standouts: Keli and Tina from CHA, thanks for helping a girl out from time to time; Dave from Spellbinders, thanks for being my camera guy; Stephanie Barnard and Katharina Doyle, I adore you both! Thanks for the hugs! I could literally go on and on. Jason, my guy at CHA headquarters, thanks for the tough love and lastly, thank you Mr. Andrej Suskavcevic, for taking a chance on me! I miss you all already!

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The final day started off with a bang in the Grand Ballroom at the CHA 2014 Paper Arts Show, with interested store owners gathered in a round table discussion with CHA Staff and key leaders in the industry. This was a time of sharing and information gathering to find effective ways to promote holiday sales and to discuss how to increase traffic to your store in new and interesting ways.

So what do you need to do? How do you increase sales and keep people coming back to your store? How do you grow your following and engage the community? Let me share some of the hot conversations that took place.

First, find out what products your customers are using and show them the must have accessories that they need to have to go with the items. Do your research and find out “What’s Hot” as opposed to “What’s New”. What’s “hot” are the items that are flying off shelves, the hard to stock items; the products that are top best sellers. What’s “new” may be new items in the market but not necessarily what people are flocking to buy or what’s currently selling. So there’s the difference. Ask the right questions! And while you’re at it, keep PDF printouts to give your customers. This has come up over and over at the Show this week. Customers like having tutorials in their hands. Take a look at the link below to see all of the handouts, graphics and more that CHA is providing here at Paper Arts 2014 to assist you in strategizing your marketing plan.

There’s some great handouts here, graphics and more right at your fingertips! Go online to www.craftandhobby.org and click on Communities/Sections/PaperArts/downloads/ then, click on Atlanta Handouts. Or, click HERE.

Another topic of conversation at the Jumpstart Session: Do you exhibit at consumer shows? Consumer shows are another way to promote your store. Key things you should know for exhibiting are:

Find out who else will be there. Know what they’re selling.

Know the price range. Concentrate on thematic items depending on the focus of the show. Is it a holiday show? Bring holiday items. Is it a summer show? Baby or kid focused? Bring products according to the theme.

Give great discounts on older products and have discount coupons for your store available. Is another store selling the same product? Mark your items accordingly to compete.

Have a mock up plan of your booth setup in advance as it can take a long time for setup. Maximize your space and make sure your booth has a flow.

Be prepared to make additional markdowns on items as the day progresses, if sales are slow.

Here’s a few more words of advice from key leaders present today. Courtney from Creativebug says, find out what’s trending and look for new ways to highlight products in your store. DIY is very popular right now. Stamping Fabric? Show displays of whatever is trending.

Several participants shared their participation with CRE8TIME and companies like Meet up, where you can pay a small fee to set up a “group” and link up to other groups in your region. The premise is to create a social media group so local crafters, and crafters from afar, can join your group. Have meetings in your store for free, even thematic events, (knitters, scrappers, metal works, art, etc) and build a following in your area.

After the Seminar was over, attendees continued to hang around and share ideas and thoughts with one another. I spoke with Tonya Minth from The Glitterie in Beechgrove, IN. She’s using Meet up and her group has quickly grown to 300. She’s even utilizing a local artist for wine/craft events. Use someone locally with skills to come in and teach at your meetings. It’s a great way to grow and keep your following.

So much valuable information sharing today. If you missed it, make it a point to be at one of these round tables the next time you attend a CHA Show.

Thanks again to the wonderful folks at CHA for allowing me this opportunity to sneak a peek at the inner workings of the crafting industry. I can’t tell you enough what a wonderful time I’ve had getting to know everyone, meeting so many knowledgeable people, and the great new techniques I’ve learned……THANK YOU!

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As I arrived at the CHA 2014 Paper Arts Show Open Market, the line of anxious attendees was already quite long. Everyone was happily chatting with their neighbors while waiting for the doors to open.

At the appointed time, the clock struck and we all filled into the Grand Ballroom. The vendors were ready and waiting and the tables quickly filled up with participants looking for some great bargains. Products ranged in price from $1.00-$75.00 and it wasn’t long before some vendors sold out completely of their stock.

I had the opportunity to chat with many attendees who were overwhelmingly pleased with the evening’s events. I especially enjoyed my conversation with the sweet ladies at my table; Debbie and Louise from Family Memories in North Carolina, and Lisa with Flamingo Finery outside Orlando, FL. They were so nice to answer my numerous questions and in particular, when asked about whether the deals were priced according to their liking? The answer was a resounding YES!

No matter the size of your pocket book, there were offerings for every price range and everyone that I spoke with was extremely happy with their purchases.

As I made the rounds with the vendors, they too were happy with the success of the Open Market, some noting that next time they would have to bring more! I’ll tell you that this crafty girl made a few purchases herself and I too was very happy with my new play things.

I’ve had so much fun getting to know the vendors and learning the history of different companies, like Kaisercraft and how the founder started out building things at the tender age of 7 and how Tilli Tomas is expanding from ribbon into other areas and actually wanted my input (as a crafter/cardmaker) as to what products I’m using and/or seeing used in online forums that I frequent, blogs that I participate in, etc. She had sequins along with her ribbon and fibers. I told her to make more sequins! We adore them!

I also enjoyed chatting up the lovely folks at Paper House Productions. If you missed the “Peace, Love & Sandy Feet” workshop by the wondrous Linda Auclair on Day 1, you missed a treat. However, here’s a link with a tutorial on the shadowbox project so you too can make one – http://www.paperhouseproductions.com/community/paper-arts-day-one/

I was drawn to their booth by the display of military products. I grew up an Army brat so of course, I had to zoom in on the Army selection. They literally have an army of products!

Stickers of all kinds; chalkboard, puffy (I need those owls!) 3-D, die cuts…. you name it.

And a terrific selection of papers to match and coordinate. I was flipping through their product catalog and quickly spied the Wizard of Oz collection. Oh my. There’s no place like home and there’s no place like Paper House Productions.

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This afternoon at the CHA 2014 Paper Arts Show has been one of learning for me. Many of the vendors have make-n-takes set up and scheduled at different times in the exhibit hall. Who knew it would be such a learning experience?

I noticed that DecoArt had some displayed projects pertaining to Gelli plating. It’s a growing trend and one that I’ve wanted to learn more about for some time now.

Lucky for me, Alison Craig from DecoArt was all set up to teach and I was a willing student. She showed me the technique involved and the ability to create layer upon layer, even taking basic every day tools (such as the cap of a sharpie marker) to draw into the paint on your gelli plate.

The DecoArt paints come in so many fabulous colors. I was really loving the bright orange.

She also added some metallic liquid inks to the mix for even more drama and flair. I can’t wait to get home and try this technique for myself.

I also had the opportunity to sit down with the incredible Fran Seiford, designer for Stampendous. She is so quirky and fun to be around.

I learned another new process, which is heat embossing with embossing mixes consisting of glitter and embossing powder, but no ink is required to adhere.

I couldn’t believe how easy this was! Actually, according to Fran, this process is an old one but has had a bit of a resurgence.

Here’s a few more pictures of some of the booths.

There is so much knowledge contained in this room amongst everyone from the industry. I am so blessed to be a part of it and thankful for the chance to learn from all of the tips, tricks and techniques that I’ve seen so far.

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This morning the CHA 2014 Paper Arts Show started off with a Jumpstart session from Courtney Cerruti of Creativebug.com. This informative seminar focused on creating an interesting environment to draw consumers to your store.

According to Courtney, it’s important to think outside the box. Use simple paper craft ideas to draw the eye to an area. There are so many avenues to get information including Pinterest. How about a paper chandelier? Now that truly is thinking outside the box.

You can even use washi tape to guide customers in your store as an outline on the floor with arrows. Or wall art to again, create an area of attention. Customers love freebies, so create small items, tags, etc. to give away. Even PDF printouts are a popular item to give with project tutorials. And if you’re not utilizing hashtags? Better get busy. The hashtag symbol, #, is a way to tag images for your organization, even used for contests and giveaways.

Courtney was chock full of ideas and inspiration. I spoke with several store owners who are really loving the seminars and information that can help them impact their store and sales.

Next, is the Exhibit Hall. The line formed coming down the escalators and everyone was anxiously awaiting for the 9 am hour to begin.

I spoke to numerous vendors and staff and learned so much I couldn’t possibly contain in one post! I will share one store owner with you that I took time to get to know.

Pink on Main. Michelle Currie is the owner and she had a lovely booth set up with her own line of stamps and other products. Michelle has been involved in crafting in one form or another her entire life. She opened up a brick and mortar back in 2007 but eventually moved to online sales. She had a heart to design her own line, located a manufacturer and has her own line as of March of this year. What a go-getter!

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After a long day of workshops and seminars, attendees, sponsors and vendors, unwound and got to know one another at the Welcome Reception last night, sponsored by Anna Griffin.

We had a great time relaxing and just hanging out, making new friends in the industry and reconnecting with industry friends.

I really enjoyed meeting some of these wonderful company representatives that I have admired from afar. I spoke to the lovely people from Kaiserkraft, here all the way from Australia. Much to my surprise, I found a friend here; Paulette from The Scrapbook Princess in Moody, AL. What a surprise!

I had a lovely chat with the good folks at Petaloo and learned about the laminating and home use for products at Photo Max.

You can see that everyone was having a good time and were enjoying the sneak peeks at the Exhibit Hall. Lots of new and exciting products are on display, particularly for the upcoming holiday season. I spied more than a few items that caught my interest.

Earlier in the day I caught the marketing seminar and heard Denzil Quick sharing tips on how to improve your cash flow. He spoke about moving your inventory, developing a tracking system and not becoming so attached to your stock that it hinders cash flow. Very insightful and thought provoking.

The highlight of my evening, not only getting a sneak peak at all these great, wonderful products, was meeting Mr. Andrej Suskavcevic, President and CEO of the Craft & Hobby Association. What a thrill!

Looking forward to all that today at the CHA 2014 Paper Arts Show holds!

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I jumped right into the first session, Spellbinders and Richard Garay. He has a new line of stamps dies and embossing folders called Cele’brations.

We dove right in making some super cute projects. First we made this adorable card using the pierced square dies. All of the projects we worked on were bagged in kit format so it’s easy to find what you’re looking for. What I really appreciate is the way the dies and stamps coordinate and complement one another. The Spellbinders inks really pop too. No “barely there” ink pads; these inks are bold in color and our stamped images looked so clean and crisp on cardstock.

I love The enthusiasm and patience that Mr. Garay exudes. He’s a fabulous teacher and so interactive. The entire staff were there every step of the way, assisting with techniques and helping answer any and every question.

Look at the adorable projects we made!

I especially love the new Cele’brations Doily Arts embossing folders. Doilies are super popular right now and this folder is gorgeous! A trick I learned is, when inking your embossing folder for letterpress, use the thickest side of the folder. And be sure to get your ink pad into all corners for the best coverage. Good to know!

This was such a great class and I really learned a lot.

Next, I rushed to Graphic 45 where Jeff Filimoehala and the lovely and vintage Joanna carried us to another time and place with the gorgeous “Come Away With” papers and products. The participants in this workshop learned how to make a beautiful shadow box complete with decorative hardware, and a stash of embellishments contained inside. Everyone seemed to really enjoy the process of putting this kit together. Jeff was an excellent instructor, and really livened up the workshop with some giveaways. An added bonus to an already fun gathering.

Here’s Joanna.

Isn’t this shadow box beautiful? Pictures really don’t do it justice. The colors of this collection are truly stunning.

Next it was on to Sizzix and Stephanie Barnard. This class focused on Framelits, Triplets and Gatefold cards. Stephanie is super bubbly and an excellent teacher, engaging everyone with her style of crafting. My classmates are hanging on her every word and are geared up for a fun, informative workshop. I love when instructors give handy tips and tricks of the trade. Did you know you should fold a flip-it card in the air, not on the table? And, you want the bottom of the card larger than the top, folding it towards you with the flap on top. Those are tips I can use. Now you can too! Stephanie is also giving marketing tips to the store owners here at the workshop too. Knowledge is power people!

Thanks to Kelly Nufer for allowing me to photo her cutting techniques with the Framelits. She really had the hang of it. Look how great these cards turned out.

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Welcome to the official blog of the Craft & Hobby Association

Check back weekly for the latest news and information from the craft and hobby industry.

The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) is an international not-for-profit trade association consisting of thousands of member companies engaged in the design, manufacture, distribution and retail sales of craft products worldwide.

For more about CHA, the value of membership, or its award-winning Conferences & Trade Shows, please visit www.craftandhobby.org.